Pasta can be somewhat of a vague term because as a dish it can be served so many different ways. For the purpose of this article, I’m only going to discuss dry pasta and fresh pasta, like the kinds you would find at the grocery store. Most dry pastas that you will find in the grocery store are vegan. However, since there is a such a wide variety of pastas available, you have to check the ingredients label because some of them are not vegan. Vegans do not eat any animal products or foods that contain animal products, so anything that contains eggs, like some pastas, is not vegan friendly.
Egg Pasta
Surprisingly enough, egg is the only ingredient in some dry pasta that is not vegan. Many types of pasta that contain egg will say so on the front of the box or packaging, but it’s still always a good idea to check the ingredients label.
Fresh Pasta
Fresh pasta, like the kind you would be served in an authentic Italian restaurant is most likely not going to be vegan. That is because fresh pasta is traditionally made with flour, water, and egg. If you’re dining out at an Italian restaurant and you want to know for sure because you’re really in the mood for pasta, just ask the waiter or waitress if the pasta noodles contain egg. They will probably know. If not, they can find out by asking one of the cooks.
Make Your Own Fresh Pasta
You can always opt to make your own fresh pasta at home. It’s fun, it’s easy, and you can be 100 percent certain it’s vegan. Minimalist Baker has a great recipe here with step-by-step instructions and pictures.
As Part of a Vegan Diet
Pasta is a good food for any vegan to have on hand. It’s cheap, it’s filling, it tastes good, and it’s easy to make. I wouldn’t suggest living on it, but it’s always a good thing to have some around. It’s also the type of vegan food you can make for your non-vegan friends that won’t make them whine and gripe.
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